Hi everyone! Those on the lookout for natural, organic skin care would be thrilled to discover Juicy Chemistry, which has just launched at Nykaa.com. Their range of products is free from artificial colorants, fragrance, alcohol, petroleum additives and parabens. I tried out a few of their products, from face care to body and liked using most of the products. The brand is on 15% off at Nykaa till tomorrow so if you’d like to try out any of their products, you can take advantage of the discount.

Its no secret that the Indian summers can be very harsh and unforgiving. No matter how much we try to protect ourselves from the sun, we end up getting a little bit of tan in the summers. And if you’ve been on a vacation, you’re sure to come back with a tan that makes your skin look ashy and dull for weeks to come! Today I’m sharing some of my tried and tested home recipes that can help you get rid of tan and sunburn with minimal expense!

Home Remedies to remove Tan and Sunburn

1. Freshly grated potato

Grate a potato and squeeze the grated bits to extract the juice. Apply this juice all over the affected area using a cotton ball and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. This will give instant relief from sunburn and help remove tan within a few days of regular use. Potato juice contains an enzyme called catecholase that is known to lighten mild skin discoloration. My mum swears by this home remedy!

2. Lemon-Yogurt Mask

Lemons are a powerful source of Vitamin C (present as Ascorbic acid) which is one of the best known ingredients for brightening skin and removing dark spots. Vitamin C is also needed by the body for producing collagen. Yogurt contains lactic acid which is an alpha-hydroxy acid and aids exfoliation by removing dead skin cells. The combination of this potent brightening agent with a natural exfoliator helps in lightening sun-induced spots and with regular use, you would notice a glow on your skin. Some people like to dab fresh lemon juice directly on the skin but I find it a harsh and drying in its pure form. Mixing it with yogurt makes it more tolerable on the skin and you get the goodness of the lactic acid as well. If you have access to fresh buttermilk, use that instead of yogurt. Buttermilk contains 3-4% lactic acid while yogurt only contains ~ 1%.

Indian summers can be very harsh and unforgiving and coupled with modern day stressful lifestyles, can give rise to a whole host of skin problems. I receive a lot of questions from my readers regarding remedies for dull skin, pigmentation, excessively oily skin and the most common summer problem – tan. I’ve got answers to all of these queries and the best part – these are all natural, ayurvedic recipes that have stood the test of time and something we Indians always turn to.

Dr. Ipsita Chaterjee is the Ayurvedic Expert at Forest Essentials (one of my favorite ayurvedic brands) and she has the solutions to all of these problems. You can whip up these recipes in your own kitchen or pick out the recommended products from Forest Essentials which are designed to address these skin issues. Hope you find these useful! If you have any queries that you’d like addressed, you can leave a comment below this post and I’ll get your query answered by Dr. Ipsita.

Forest Essentials Tejasvi Emulsion

Q : Dullness, pigmentation and spots are a common problem for many Indian women. What are your recommendations to help reduce pigmentation and get brighter, more even toned skin?

A : All beautiful skin is “rosy, lustrous, unblemished, smooth, evenly coloured, soft and firm” according to the ancient Ayurvedic Shastras. Dull, sallow, pale, blemished, pigmented dry and dehydrated skin are indications of imbalance and premature aging due to stress, poor habits, exposure to the environment, and of course, improper skin care. Therefore, in order to keep the skin looking young, radiant and blemish free , your beauty products and treatments must provide exfoliation to remove dead skin cells; epidermal stimulation for new cell growth; antioxidant properties for cellular rejuvenation and repair; improved capillary blood flow; and penetrating moisture and nutrients to replenish all seven layers of skin tissue. Here are some recommendations for reducing pigmentation and getting a lighter brighter even toned skin.

1. Mix together 1 teaspoon each of super fatted milkcream laced with fine Kashmiri Saffron or the Forest Essentials Soundarya Ubtan, a squeeze of lemon and Raw Organic Honey and massage the mixture into the face and neck . Rinse with lukewarm water after 15 minutes. This traditional recipe is known to be effective in rejuvenating and revitalizing the skin leaving it firmed, even toned and more youthful.

About the product : Uniquely formulated with skin nourishing and luxuriously fine-milled pistachio nut powder, dates and figs, blended with almond and olive oil, our scrub is a body polisher enriched with Vitamin-E and natural exfoliants. Use daily to soften skin for a healthy radiance.